Chapter 232: Chapter 98 - Mariano (3)

I shake my head at how silly she is. I decide to indulge her now and perhaps remove it once I get home.

Seemingly satisfied that she's won, she goes back to lie down on my pillow, tucking her two little hands under one side of her face like she's going to sleep there. No dice. Alessandro will cut off my head in the morning if he finds her daughter sleeping on the floor—with me, no less.

I'm about to tell her to go back to her bed, but when she starts yawning and closing her eyes, I can't. Being right all the time must be exhausting, huh?

I softly chuckle to myself and reach out to gently stroke her hair as she falls asleep fast, burrowing her face into my pillow.

Ever so quietly, I pick up my sketchpad and continue my work, once in a while checking in on her sounding asleep. Once I finish, I carefully carry her to her bed and tuck her in, placing my drawing on her nightstand, and wishing she'll stay innocent a little longer before our world taints her.